North Pointe Vol. 49, Issue 9 - Feb. 15, 2017

SPORTS PAGE 11 Varsity cheer team performs routines in competitions.

NORTH

POINTE JALA DANIEL

GROSSE POINTE NORTH HIGH SCHOOL

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 15, 2017

SI NC E 1968

Lack of sunlight initiates return of SAD symptoms

By Ritika Sanikommu, Elizabeth Ballinger & Syeda Rizvi EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & STAFF REPORTERS Surroundings have more of an effect on the human mind than one may realize. What may just seem like a bad day, week or month could be attributed to more than just the “Winter Blues.” This lack of motivation might come from the lack of sunlight during season. With Detroit having only two days of sunshine in January, Seasonal Affective Disorder rates have been continuously climbing, and its effects can be noticed here at North.

SAD is a common form of depression that correlates with changes in season. It begins as clouds move in and sunlight diminishes until spring arrives. The lack of sunshine causes serotonin levels to plummet, affecting mood, appetite, sleep and social behavior. In turn, this leads to a lack of motivation to do work, increased restlessness and irritability. Around six percent of the population goes through these symptoms every year.

Junior Izzy Zugel feels the effects of lack of sunlight during the winter months. Zugel said her move from Florida to Michigan in middle school had a significant impact on her.

Psychology teacher Jennifer Weisbrodt said that a lack of awareness might be an issue when it comes to recognizing the symptoms of SAD. “I don’t know that if we label it as much.

I think that we know in the winter months, teaching can be more difficult, motivating can be more difficult (and) pulling homework out of students can be more difficult,” she said.

“I don’t know if we consciously recognize it as SAD.” There are also various misconceptions that are tagged with SAD. Weisbrodt said that many people use the term loosely and don’t actually know if they have the

disorder. They show the symptoms, but the cause could be something more severe. She says that if people think that they have something along the lines of SAD, they should get it checked out by a medical professional.

SAD can often be characterized by depression.

Zugel recognizes the difference between being sad, which is temporary, and having depression, which is more long-term.

“When you’re sad, you know why you’re sad, but when you’re depressed you have no idea why.

You’re angry at things for no reason or you’re sad for no reason and you have no idea why,” Zugel said. “(It’s) like nothing’s wrong in your

life. Everything's fine but there’s just something stopping you from doing the things you want to do. You just feel miserable for no reason.”

Contrary to popular misconceptions, kids can be just as susceptible to exhibiting symptoms of SAD as adults.

However, the presented effects may differ.

“Rather than being identified as fatigued, children or adolescents exp e r ie nc i ng a depressive episode may be pegged as ‘lazy’ by their parents or teachers," according to Fox News. " T h e diminished ability to think or

concentrate or indecisiveness we see in adults with depression may be viewed as being offtask and disruptive at school in children and adolescents.”

However, Weisbrodt said there is a fine line, especially in teenagers, between hormonal imbalances and something that needs treatment.

Because SAD is a mood disorder, its effects won’t be overtly visible. This can hinder students’ ability to effectively convey their feelings to their teachers and parents. Zugel’s in-school experience is an example of the consequences of SAD. “In the beginning of sixth grade back in Florida I was (an) A, B honor roll student. I did perfectly fine, I had no problems what so ever. But after I moved and with the weather and other things that happened in my life, I started bombing classes like no tomorrow and my parents were not happy about (it) but they didn't understand then. They still don't 100 percent understand why I can’t get stuff done,” Zugel said. “It’s hard. It prevents you from doing things, it makes you procrastinate more than you should be prostinating.”

Zugel also believes that others don’t understand the implications of SAD and depression as well.

“It’s definitely harder to explain to people because some people you know are typically like ‘Well, why can't you just get over it?’

(The) thing is it's not that easy for a person who suffers through that much depression,” Zugel said. “Physically no one can really tell how you are. You could look perfectly healthy, but deep inside you’re not well at all.”

Contributing: Taylor Mitchell

LAUREN SEXTON

Colleges prefer high school foriegn language courses

By Michal Ruprecht & Montana Paton ASSISTANT EDITORS Learning a second language is a requirement for receiving a diploma in Michigan. House Bill 4465 (passed in 2006) requires all students to take a minimum of two years of a foreign language in order to graduate from high school.

However, colleges and universities considered selective by the College Board, like the University of Michigan, recommend four years.

But there’s a catch: according to counselor Barbara Skelly, undergraduate schools prefer students take foreign language classes in high school because they’re more “rigorous.” This means students who start foreign language education in middle school and end it before senior year are potentially disadvantaged.

Because many students begin their foreign language education in middle school, German teacher Susan Sipos emphasizes that students should continue to partake in foreign language classes in hish school. She said there are more advantages to learning a second language than just fulfilling graduation requirements. One of them is foreign language-based scholarships, which Sipos earned several of.

“There’s a lot of money available for people who want to study other languages,” Sipos said.

“I think it’s good to take several languages if you can invest a lot of time in each one.”

If a student plans to attend a selective school but has reached the maximum level of a language offered

by GPPSS, then they have the option to dual enroll.

Under Section 21B of the State School Aid Act and Public Act 160 of 1991, a high schoolage student may attend his or her high school and also enroll in a public or private Michigan postsecondary institution, which is referred to as dual enrollment.

A student must have taken the High School Michigan Merit Exam prior to applying and earned at least an endorsement on the test in the area of postsecondary study to qualify.

Alumna Sarah Cherry dual enrolled in Spanish her senior year because she started taking the language in middle school and reached the maximum level during her junior year. She said the district paying for her attendance and becoming an outlier were upsides to dual enrollment.

“I want to go to medical school, and it gives me an upper hand if I am fluent in another language,” she said. “It definitely will affect me because they’re always looking for people who can speak a foreign language because you never know when you’re going to encounter that situation where you need to know a different language.”

Although junior Lauren Sickmiller’s foreign language credits transferred to her high school transcript, she will be in the same situation as Cherry. She wants to pursue French but said she might take an online class instead.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 NATHAN LONCZYNSKI

IDEAS - PAGE 7

LIFE - PAGE 6 Students rally to show feelings about the election. For more about student and alumni experiences, go to page 6.

"The United States is a nation built on the premise of diversity and immigration."

SPORTS - PAGE 11 “I love the competition and playing in games and getting the outcome we want.”

EVA CERMAK

@thenorthpointe www.northpointenow.org

VOLUME 49 | ISSUE 9

News.......... 2 Calendar... 3

On Campus... 4 Life.................... 5-6

On Pointe... 7 Reviews.... 8

Editorial..... 9 In-Depth.... 10

Sports...11-12

NEWS

2 – Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017 – North Pointe

Foreign language credits CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

“I’m still trying to decide what I’m going to do,” Sickmiller said. “There might be online classes I can take here next year, but I don’t think I’m going to drive to a college (for dual enrollment).”

Skelly said if students prolong their foreign language educations, they can earn college credit by taking

college-level courses, she said that dual enrollment and online classes can help students gain those credits.

College credits are helpful, but Sipos said getting more knowledge about other cultures is also important. She wants students to take advantage of the opportunities offered so that they are more aware of other lifestyles and less focused on finance.

“For me, learning language changed my life entirely.

That’s what I hope for my students, too. I think that having the chance to go some place else and meet other people ... causes you to ref lect on yourself, and that’s what I think you really get out of learning another language,” Sipos said. “It has been such an asset, and it’s made my life so interesting because I know people from all over the world, and when I see the news for one thing, I can follow events from the American point of view. But, then I can also watch them in other languages and see a totally different perspective on what’s happening in the world.”

Forensic science offers new opportunities to students For senior Sienna Rogers, forensics class is much more than credit needed to graduate. She is not only considering the field for a possible career, but also sees it as a new way to approach problems in other aspects of her life.

“This class shows you how to look at things a certain way,” Rogers said. “It teaches you how to use the different skills that the brain doesn’t always allow you to use.”

New to North this semester, Forensic Science is a semester-long course that focuses on both the basics of the subject, and also on how to apply that knowledge outside of school.

According to science teacher Elizabeth Michaels, forensics is the combination of biology, chemistry and physics behind the analysis of evidence that collected from a crime scene.

“Forensic science is really cool, in the fact that it has some biology in it. We’ll talk about ABO blood typing. We’ll talk about DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid). We talked a little about how we observe and how our brain processes the things that we observe. It’s going to have a little physics in it because we’re going to talk about blood splatter analysis, and so you can tell how fast the blood drop fell or what angle it fell from based on the way that it falls, like the pattern that it creates, so there’s a little bit of physics in that.

There’s a little bit of chemistry because we’re is that (students) have more exposure to science going to analyze different inks and substances content and more opportunity to do hands-on and that sort of thing, so all three of those come interactions with those science concepts.” together,” Michaels said. “Since I’m a biology One of the appeals Michaels sees to the class is teacher, and that’s my that it isn’t just for students strength, this semester who already love science. has more biology than “We have students who other subject areas, this is like their fifth or but that doesn’t mean sixth science class, some it won’t change to be of them their seventh or more chemistry, more eighth, some of them are physics, depending on right out of their biology the kinds of experiences or chemistry classes,” we bring to it.”

Michaels said. “Some of Michaels decided them are really into that to teach the class to idea of forensic science, and encourage students some of them are not, and to take more science that’s okay.” courses and to foster Although Michaels a love for science in had knowledge of forensic students.

Maggie McEnroe science’s chemical and “I think forensic SENIOR biological aspects, she science is a really took a course at Lawrence interesting opportunity to grab kids into taking Technological University. The class was another science that they might not have specifically tailored for teachers who teach otherwise taken, so students who wouldn’t forensic science. choose to take AP or who wouldn’t choose to take For the class, Michaels constructed the labs our higher-level junior/senior science classes but her students will do throughout the semester, want to prolong their science experience. I think including crime scene sketching, fiber analysis, it kind of grabs those students, and I wanted to blood typing, blood splatter analysis, bone teach those students,” Michaels said. “My goal structure and entomology and the study of bugs.

“

It’s cool because I’ve never had a teacher ask so often about how we like the class and how we think it’s going.

“

By Mora Downs & Sophia Ketels EDITOR & STAFF REPORTER

Senior Maggie McEnroe is also taking the class.

Over the summer, McEnroe attended a program at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. that focused on forensic science.

“There was really a lot of class time, but it was all really entertaining. We got to speak with different detectives, no-body homicide case, attorneys, we spoke to a couple medical examiners, a couple DNA analysts,” McEnroe said.

Since this is North’s pilot class, student feedback after labs is integral to the shaping of the class for future years.

“She’s really interested in our feedback. So after every lab, she’ll ask us, ‘what did you guys think about it?’ It’s cool because I’ve never had a teacher ask so often about how we like the class and how we think it’s going,” McEnroe said.

Rogers agrees with McEnroe and said that as Michaels teaches, the students in the class are helping her as well.

Student input will help Michaels perfect the class, and she wants the class to expand over time.

“I hope it grows enough so that two teachers could teach it so that it’s easier to collaborate because when you have two teachers working together the class becomes more creative and more substantial than one teacher trying to figure it out by themselves,” Michaels said. “I also want it to grow so that students take more science (classes).”

DAJAI CHATMAN

LEARNING | Forensic Science students engage in a lesson. Senior Maggie McEnroe “It’s cool because there’s nothing to compare it too. There’s no really saying there’s anything that’s being done differently. I really like it. It’s entertaining and I find the topic interesting. ”’ senoir Maggie McEnroe said.

Diversity Club explores ways to improve classroom enviroment

By Sonny Mulpuri, Maxwell Murray & Chloe Ribco EDITOR & INTERNS

anyone else,” Bur said. “But I need to have that comfort and that trust factor if I’m going to be able to open and share so that we can continue our learning.”

Communication is a key part of the Diversity Club’s mission.

After each classroom has a functioning environment that is Becuase of the group’s push to bring students and staff together inclusive for all students, the focus will shift to celebrating the the district is trying to do whatever is possible to help students and unique backgrounds of students and staff while still accepting our staff be more understanding, accepting and knowledgeable of other differences. Part of this is how to speak and interact with students cultures and perspectives to bring the schools together as a whole. in a way that suits them personally. Teachers must understand each One of the ways in which this is being carried out is in the student to ensure a healthy environment. form of a curriculum change specially designed for the district.

The final branch of the plan is communication. The Board is Curriculum directors Keith Howell and Maureen Bur kicked off looking into what can be done to keep the community in the loop.

Black History Month with a presentation However, one of the more difficult tasks is on how the district is planning to tackle contacting community members to meet at the the issue of diversity in classrooms. same time in order to get input from outside They spoke about the four main ways in the school environment. Bur and Howell which diversity will be woven into the stressed the value of community involvement curriculum. with the schools, and plan to use media to “We’ve done a lot of professional ensure the community is involved, as well as development over the last year-and-a-half understood and listened to. with our administrative team, who then When Howell and Bur finished their have taken that back into their building, presentation, parents were able to take part in a and we’ve asked them to go through some Q&A session. A parent with kids in the South of these norms. Stay engaged, be open, district was one of the people who spoke up courteous and willing to listen,” Bur said. not only to have her questions answered, but Maureen Bur “Just because I may have one set of lenses also gave her input on the matter.

CURRICULUM DIRECTOR that I look through, I need to be open“I know that population in Defer is perhaps minded and learn from the folks around me.” a little more diverse than in some of the other areas. By the time The University of Michigan will come in and work with 10- they get to Pierce and certainly by the time they get to South the 12 high school students from both North and South High School needs have changed because now you have got this mixing in of a to create a needs assessment in order to identify and analyze the lot of different areas,” she said. “So perhaps there ought to be some specific needs of students at all grade levels as well as staff and consideration to apply for creative approach for a long term one other community members. and one more on the short term and if there could be a focus on that Once there is a clear identification of what each student needs short term maybe we could address both needs.” to create a safe, comfortable and valuable learning environment, Howell and Bur want the district to understand that when they the curriculum writing teams will create multiple instructional are supporting the students, they will always pursue a manner approaches to meet the needs of all students. This will ensure which shows they have positive intentions. that students who have success with non-traditional learning “We have to scope, and remember we can expect (a lack of styles have the same opportunity to learn as those who excel in closure) … and experience some discomfort, and we’re managing a normal classroom. Bur and Howell spoke about the difference this for now,” Howell said. “We want to get some answers, and between equity and equality. Each student may not need the same really get a good feeling of what the district feels. These are things tools, but they will receive exactly what they need to succeed. that we routinely talk about amongst our staff and I know these “We need to build an environment where there is a trust base, are things that we’re working on and continue to review this with and that is comfortable enough that folks can speak their own our board.” truths, because what I bring to the table may be very different than

“

We need to build an enviroment where there is a trust base, and that is comfortable.

“

CHLOE RIBCO

SPEAKER | Curriculum directors Maureen Bur (top photo) and Keith Howell (above) speak about discrimination within the Grosse Pointe Public School System.

NEWS

North Pointe – Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017 – 3

Class of 2018 picks Waterview Loft as Prom venue

CALENDAR MID-WINTER BREAK

Urban, sophisticated and modern.

The Class of 2018 recently decided to host its prom at the WaterView Loft in downtown Detroit, which is on the Riverwalk overlooking the Detroit River.

WaterView Loft lies on Atwater Street, only steps away from the Renaissance Center. As one enters, the venue has an airy atrium and there is a loft with floor-to-ceiling high windows that allow one to overlook the skyline.

“The first floor has a pseudo-industrial feel to it, while the upstairs offers some of the more classic prom elements,” McCarroll said.

Although the class’ student council ultimately made the decision, they tried to involve the class as much as it could along the way. The council posted pictures, summaries of venues and polls on its Twitter account, and relied on word of mouth to solicit feedback from fellow juniors.

A year was spent touring venues in hopes of reaching a decision on which place it would want. Old prom locations were considered, but when the Waterview Loft became an option, it needed to be checked out.

Class president Catie Archambeau and a couple other council members took notes and pictures of the several venues and presented them to the council. Council members then went out and discussed the option with their classmates.

“We brought back all options and comments, discussed them and chose the prom location we thought our class would enjoy the most,” Archambeau said.

“I am super excited because it’s different than North’s usual prom venue. I think it’s very modern and classy.”

The consensus was not difficult to make, knowing that everybody on the council agreed to the venue decision.

Despite the struggle, Class of 2018 adviser Sean McCarroll couldn't be more pleased with the decision that was made.

“It was love at first sight,” McCarroll said. “In the end, our class seemed to want a more modern prom, and this place was perfect for it.”

Feb. 20 through Feb.24

CLOSE-UP TRIP TO WASHINGTON D.C. Sunday, Feb. 26

STARNIVAL

Friday, March 3, from 5-7:30 p.m. starting in the Cafeteria Commons

BAND & ORCHESTRA BOOSTER MEETING

Tuesday, March 7 from 7-8 p.m.

PARENT CLUB MEETING

By Tommy Teftsis

Wednesday, March 8 at 7 p.m. in the Union

RAISING GLOBAL LEADERS

League of Women Voters public forum "Raising Global Leaders" Wednesday, March 8 at 7 p.m. at Pierce Middle School's Auditorium

SPORTS ALL PHOTOS FROM WWW.WATERLOFT.COM

RIVERFRONT | Waterview Loft is the location the Class of 2018 chose for their Prom location. Located on Atwater Street, the venue offers a classy and unique atmosphere. "We took plenty of pictures of all the venues, and asked as many people from the class as we could what their preferences were before choosing a final venue," Class of 2018 adviser Sean McCarroll said.

German classes host fortune-telling event To celebrate the new year and new semester, Susan Sipos’ German classes took part in the classic German tradition of New Year’s fortune-telling, or Bleigiessen, with a modern and safer spin.

Normally, Bleigiessen takes place on the first day of the new year, but since students don’t get back to school until Jan. 9, it was performed on Feb. 1 to determine how the students' semesters would go.

All levels of Sipos’ classes participated in the activities as a way to expose them firsthand to modern German culture. This offered students a chance to experience the culture behind the language they are learning. “(Bleigiessen is) very common today.

Nearly every family in Germany does it,” Sipos said.

Bleigiessen originates from practices in ancient Greece and Rome, but still continues to be practiced today in Germany, Switzerland and Austria. The tradition started with melting lead, cooling it and then inspecting the shape it cooled into, each of which meant something different. But people switched from using lead to wax as a JOSIE BENNETT cheaper alternative before switching it to something totally different: gummy bears.

The name Bleigiessen literally means “lead pouring,” but using real lead and candles wasn’t an option for something in school, or for many families. Now, most families pick gummy bears while blindfolded, and then tell their fortune depending on the colors. The classes, along with picking gummy bears, used an app to simulate the traditional experience of Bleigiessen, which took students through the steps of melting lead and pouring it into water to determine the shape.

“It was pretty fun," freshman Amelia Fly said. "It was fun seeing a bunch of different people’s fortunes and mine,” The amount of families partaking in the tradition created a need to change the harmful use of lead and candles. Though using gummy bears is a stretch from the old way, it’s a more accessible, affordable and safe alternative, for German families and students. The event consisted not only of the German activity of picking gummy bears, but also using apps, websites and cootie catchers to relate to the idea of New Year’s fortune telling.

By Maggie Dollar

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BOYS BASKETBALL

Tuesday, Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. vs.

South at North

GIRLS HOCKEY

Thursday, Feb. 16 at 4:30 p.m. vs. Bloomfield United High School at St. Mary's Ice Rink

WRESTLING

Saturday, Feb. 18 at 9:30 a.m.

Individual Regional at Harland High School SYNCHRONIZED

SWIMMING

Friday, Feb. 17 vs. Ann Arbor Huron High School at Huron High School

COMPETITIVE CHEER Saturday, Feb. 18 at 10 a.m. at Cousino High School

GIRLS

BASKETBALL Thursday, Feb.23 at 6 p.m. vs. Detroit Country Day High Schoolat North

DANCE

Tuesday, Feb. 28 at 7:30 p.m. in the gym

ON CAMPUS

4 – Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017 – North Pointe

Link crew holds seminar for freshmen

By Sarah Wietecha EDITOR

FACES IN THE CROWD Carmen Castronero

For the Class of 2017, the future is staring them right in the face. Senior Carmen Castronero is interested in pursuing medicine.

The medical field takes hard work but also compassion.

Loving to help people is a prerequisite for anyone interested in this field.

Castronero started volunteering this past summer to gain experience in the field.

“I volunteer at Beaumont,” she said. “My mom is a nurse educator there, so when she told me there were volunteer positions, I decided to get interested.”

Castronero began volunteering at Beaumont over the summer.

“It’s really fun. I work at the front desk. I’m a patient escort, so if a patient needs to leave the hospital, I go get them, I bring them down to the front, then they leave.”

To pursue her dream of being a neurologist, Castronero plans on studying at Central Michigan University for undergrad and Michigan State University for graduate school.

ALL PHOTOS BY LAUREN SEXTON

LET'S TALK | Junior Chloe Valentic and Senior Jacqueline Veneri help mentor freshmen. Senior Adam Schade said the event was put on by Link Crew to help unify the freshman class. “We were trying it get all the freshmen together and do team-building activities and get them to mingle with other people,” Schade said.

SHOWING LEADERSHIP | Senior Hannah Mattes leads freshmen through a series of excersises they have to complete as a team. “It may teach some people that you have to depend on, you know, your friends,” freshman Jordan Craighead said. “'Cause that’s what I think activity two was about, like you have to stick together to make it through.”

CREATING BONDS | Junior Blerina Berisha coaches freshman Carlo Ciaravino and other underclassmen. "(We did) a ball throwing thing, where you had to like get it in a basket, (and) being stuck on a deserted island, and you had to work together to see what would work best,” Schade said.

Erica Williams

For most students, the school day ends a 3:05 p.m. But senior Erica Williams is usually in cosmetology class until 5:30.

“I take the program at Warren Woods Tower High School on Frazho,” Williams said. “I do it five days a week for four and a half hours.”

Cosmetology is just like normal school. Williams said there is a lot of studying involved as well as tests after each chapter and midterm exams. She is currently learning about skin disorders and how to treat and work around them.

To get certified, students need at least 1,500 hours of instruction, which is completed over two years. After graduation, the students are able to start looking for jobs in the beauty industry.

Williams said she enjoys the program and looks forward to getting her degree, followed by a four-year business degree from either Wayne State University or Western Michigan University, which she will use to open her own salon.

“I want to own a beauty bar,” Williams said.

“They basically do anything and everything that has anything to do with the cosmetology world, and I really love hair and makeup, and anything girly or anything that has to do with a total transformation.”

Jack Nelson

Spending all day in desks, learning about chemical compounds or how to find the square roots of imaginary numbers can be stressful for senior Jack Nelson, so he takes ceramics class to clear his head.

“I feel really relaxed in the studio because there’s not as much pressure as the rest of my classes,” Nelson said. “I can make what I want and forget about the rest of my classes for a while.”

Nelson is currently the only student enrolled in Ceramics III. After a one-year hiatus, he decided it was time to get his hands back in the clay.

He plans to continue doing pottery in his free time, even after he graduates.

“I want to make bigger work on the wheel and learn new techniques,” Nelson said.

By Max Murray & Chloe Ribco

GOAL SETTING | Junior Kate Wozniak explains to freshman Zackary Buterakos, and other underclassmen how to challenge themselves and achieve their high school goals. “I feel like making goals and prioritizing what you need to do will really help," freshman Emily Widgeren said. “I feel like it will help us in the future when we’re all in college and need to practice time management."

FIVE MINUTES WITH

Special education teacher Michael DeCenso

By Gowri Yerramalli BUSINESS MANAGER

MIKAEL DECENSO

FAMILY FUN| Special education teacher Michael DeCenso's children play disk golf. They started the sport as a part of a family vacation.

Discs flying around a green golf course are a common site for special needs teacher Michael DeCenso. DeCenso has enjoyed disc golf as a hobby for three years. He shares this passion for the sport with his family.

“I started playing this sport because I was looking for something I could do with my whole family,” DeCenso said via email. “I have a 13-year-old daughter and a 10-year-old son, and we can all play. This is still a family sport, but I now play much more than my family members do.”

DeCenso developed a passion for disc golf on a family vacation while exploring different activity options. His enthusiasm for the sport has grown ever since.

“We were on vacation and wanted to try something different,” DeCenso said.

One of DeCenso’s best moments with disc golf was when he and a former student

started a disc golf club for the school.

“One of my best disc golf experiences came last year when some students from North and I tried to start a club. We were meeting every week to play a round at Brys Park. It was so nice to play a game with some people from North. Even some parents gave it a try,” he said.

Although the club ended at the beginning of the new school year, DeCenso hopes to renew the club with new leadership this year.

“Our President moved schools, and no one has stepped forward. I would gladly get it going again if someone were interested.

I’m going to play anyway.”

DeCenso still continues to play and enjoy the sport with other groups outside the club.

“I love that this sport is almost free.

Courses do not charge,” DeCenso said.

“I love the quiet of the woods and being in nature, and I love watching the discs f ly through the trees.”

FAVORITE BOOK Huckleberry Finn. I like the comedy and the feeling of adventure.

MY LAST VACATION We visit Frankfort, Michigan often. We recently went up to try skiing with my family.

I used to ski a lot, especially supporting people with special needs. My children loved the experience, and we are going to go again over break. I resisted trying the moguls, but if you see me in a cast after break, it probably means I gave in to my inner teenager.

IF I COULD TRAVEL ANYWHERE It would be Australia. It seems like such a great country. I don’t think we realize how big it is. It’s not as full of people as our country is, but it’s on the opposite side of the world, and it seems like a fun place to go.

MY FAVORITE MUSIC ARTIST I’m a big AC/DC fan. I have liked them since I was in high school. I have seen them in concert, and lots of my friends agree on this music. The only ones that don’t like it are my immediate family members. This creates lots of opportunity to crank it up in the car and drive them all crazy with my karaoke.

LIFE

North Pointe – Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017 – 5

Extra credit in many forms offers alternative route to better grades R U P R EC

HT

By Caitlin Bush, Allison Lackner & Bella Lawson EDITORS & STAFF REPORTER

Grosse Pointe Public School System doesn’t have guidelines for extra credit, so it differs from class to class. This allows teachers to have different approaches for the extra credit they offer. Some opportunities involve students going out and purchasing things, like tissue boxes or markers. Or other teachers prefer options like coming in after school for an educational movie, writing essays or test corrections.

Junior Sophie Kehrig thinks that teachers requiring students to buy things for extra credit is unfair for certain students and classes.

“I think there should be an alternative. I don’t think it is wrong to be like, ‘hey, give me a tissue box, and I’ll give you extra credit,’ because funding and teachers buying tissues is kind of ridiculous,” Kehrig said. “(But) I don’t care if it is as cheap as a tissue box. That is just wrong.”

Science teacher Andrew Pola is also against extra credit that involves students having to purchase items. He thinks students’ grades should reflect their work, not their ability to go out and buy supplies.

“I would want to make sure as a teacher that it is equitable that all students could have that opportunity for learning or growth or credit,” Pola said.

Pola doesn’t offer extra credit because he doesn’t think it represents the student’s academic abilities.

“

that there are many learning methods that will change them based on the class and students.

“No system is exactly perfect, so I always have a small opportunity to raise your grade a little bit, and I like it to be available,” Shepard said. “Every once in a while, if I hear of something from another room, I might find a way to work that in as well, so I have a few things, but I’m not set in stone.”

Alumnus Mar’tel Morgan thinks that extra credit should always be offered for every class there is, no matter what kind of form it is presented as.

“I think it should be a mandatory thing because there’s a lot of kids here that struggle with homework. A person could have to go home and babysit immediately meaning they can’t do homework, but they have that extra chance to bring in a tissue box,” Morgan said. “Not every student needs it, but the requirement should just be a minimum of 15 extra credit points, just to give a kid that push.”

While Kehrig is against purchasing school supplies for extra credit, she does appreciate when teachers offer extra credit with academic merit because she knows that if she does poorly on an assignment she can make up the points.

“Extra credit should always be offered. It can really affect your grade in a good way. That is why I think especially working for extra credit is more important than buying things for extra credit because you are actually making up the points you lost,” Kehrig said. “You are actually working for them the same way you would on a test or a project instead of going out to the store and being like, ‘I am going to buy these markers or tissues and give them to you,’ and that’s the end of it.”

If students don’t get anything out of it, that personally bothers me because I don’t want to waste their time, and I want it as enrichment to advance some of the things we’ve already looked at.

Terri Steimer SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER

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M IC H A L

“I think all too often it is used artificially and inflates students’ grades,” Pola said. “If something is truly important to learn or (master) or (understand), then I think it should just be a part of the normal class, not something extra.”

Pola has a different approach when it comes to raising his students grades. He prefers to hold reassessments for his tests. He considers this as a second chance for the students to help them comprehend the material better.

On the flip side, social studies teacher Terri Steimer is in favor of extra credit and offers numerous extra credit activities that students can find time for during their busy schedules. These opportunities include bringing in tissues but also include films, takehome essays and conducting research on articles from www.americanheritage.com.

“I think films are very powerful if you choose ones that students are going to get something out of,” Steimer said.

Steimer also makes sure the extra credit she offers expands what they have been learning in class.

T CH “If students don’t get anything out of RE UP R L HA it, that personally bothers me because I don’t MIC want to waste their time, and I want it as enrichment to advance some of the things we’ve already looked at,” Steimer said. “There is no (time in class) to show something in its entirety, so extra credit is the perfect opportunity to do that.”

Like Steimer, Spanish teacher Tamara Shepard has alternative extra credit opportunities she offers her students. Shepard knows

PR EC HT MI CH AL RU

FLEX

6 – Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017 – North Pointe

RALLYING FOR CHANGE

EDITORS

Students, aumni share experiences at rallies around Metro Detroit

Donald Trump rally After going through a few lines of security and having her personal belongings checked, sophomore Camryn Simon was admitted into Donald Trump’s presidential campaign rally with her friends, sophomores Lainey Aldridge and Maggie Mattes “We had to go through three lines of security. They had to check everything,” she said. “Once we got there, there was just the stage where he was going to be, and you just sat or stood in the back and waited three hours for him to come.”

The rally was held on Sunday, Nov. 6, just two days before the general election, at Freedom Hill Amphitheatre in Sterling

Heights, about a 30-minute drive from Grosse Pointe. Doors opened at 3 p.m., and Trump started a 40-minute speech at 6 p.m.

Simon said she wanted to see him speak in person rather than just on TV. “I like Trump. I support him,” she said. “I just kind of wanted to see how he publically talked to people in person because I’ve seen him on the TV, so I just wanted to see if it was similar to be there in real life.”

Junior Tommy Kohler attended the rally with his mom. Although they decided to go at the last minute, they still had tickets for the event. He said seeing Trump speak in person bolstered his support.

“When you look around and see

By Alex Harring & Lindsey Ramsdell

the thousands of people that were there and the thousands of people that were outside,” Kohler said. “It just makes me so happy.”

Simon said she, like Kohler, supported Trump more than before she saw him speak because he was respectful of his opposition and an engaging speaker.

“He took kids up on stage and just interacted with all of his audience, and he gave us more reasoning for his decisions,” Simon said. “He never really insulted Hillary, which I thought was kind of polite of him. He just told us that he was a stronger person and gave us reasons why.”

Kohler said Trump touched on many different topics during his speech. According to the Detroit Free

As the world watched, millions marched throughout the country on Saturday, Jan. 21 in a series of women’s marches. Since then, and leading up to the election, there have been many other protests and rallies devoted to various causes. These are a collection of the recent rallies that occurred in the Metro Detroit area. We reached out to students and alumni that attended some of these events to hear from them about why and where they chose to rally—whether it was for President Trump’s campaign, Bernie Sander’s health care initiative or Grosse Pointe’s own March for Peace.

Press, Trump spoke a lot about trade and how Democratic policies hurt the state. Kohler also said that Trump coming to Michigan emphasized the value of the state in the election.

Trump won the popular vote in Michigan, which hadn’t chosen the Republican nominee since 1984, despite campaign stops from the Clintons, Democratic state and federal congressmen and Barack Obama in cities such as Detroit and Ann Arbor. Trump won the state by about 10,000 votes.

“The fact that Trump came to Michigan seven times to campaign showed that he wanted to win and knew it was a crucial state to win,” Kohler said. “Greatest moment and day of my life.”

TOMMY KOHLER

Our First Stand One of the primary objectives of President Trump’s platform is repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act, dubbed Obamacare.

The ACA guaranteed nearly 30 million Americans affordable health insurance and extended privatized coverage as well as removed limits for pre-existing conditions and women’s care. Trump promised an improved health care plan, although the specifics have not yet been released.

Vermont senator Bernie Sanders, a presidential candidate in 2016, is a strong supporter of the ACA. He headlined Our First Stand, a chain of 75 rallies in support of the ACA across the country on Sunday, Jan. 15. Junior Eva Cermak was one of over 10,000 who attended the rally at Macomb Community College in Warren, where she saw Sanders as well as many other notable government officials speak.

“The repealing of (the ACA) will greatly affect a lot of people, and hearing the stories

of people who knew others that the ACA really helped and saved the lives of, that was really touching to hear their stories,” Cermak said. “The health care rally was a really good experience. A lot of people came together.”

Sanders was the headliner, but there were many other presenters at the event. According to Sanders’ website, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York as well as Michigan’s senators, Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters, and District 14 representative Brenda Lawrence also spoke about the importance of the ACA. Individuals and families shared personal experiences when Obamacare allowed them to get affordable coverage, and members of senior groups and trade unions also spoke.

Class of 2016 alumna Rachael Backer also went to the rally. She said she started becoming interested in politics when Sanders ran for president.

“Never would I have thought I would be out in the freezing cold basically begging the Trump Administration and Republicans

#NoBanNoWall Following President Trump’s executive order restricting citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S., protests have taken place throughout the nation. Some big ones in Michigan included a rally at Detroit Metro Airport and the Spartans for Sanctuary: No Ban, No Wall protest that took place at Michigan State University.

Junior Eva Cermak went to the protest at DTW with her cousin on Sunday, Jan. 29. After breaking free from two hours of traffic to get into the airport, Cermak joined a crowd of over 2,500 in chanting outside McNamara Terminal. Although she said

not to ‘kill’ all the progress that has been done,” Backer said via email. “This rally really was touching because it was one thing to understand how important Obamacare/ healthcare in general is, but they had actual people speaking about how Obamacare has benefited their family, and how it would be detrimental if they lost it.”

Cermak said that she plans to continue going to protests and rallies that exemplify her views, like her belief that affordable health care is a right.

“America is a democracy, and we have the right to peacefully protest against government actions that we don’t agree with, and I think that sitting back and just doing nothing about it is the worst thing you can do because your silence won’t protect you.

I refuse to be compliant if I don’t agree with the decisions that our government is making,” Cermak said. “I want the people leading our government to know we’re here, and we’ll continue fighting for our rights peacefully and defending our values.”

the protest was a unifying experience overall, one moment struck her as particularly meaningful.

“I was standing there with my sign just chanting, and this man approached me, and I thought it was going to be something positive because so many people were coming up to me and taking pictures, and he came up to me and yelled something in my face and moments after he did that, I was just like standing there,” she said. “After he did that, an elderly Muslim woman came up to me and said thank you and it just really meant a lot to me and made me realize the importance of being there, and protesting people like that that are just adding to the hate and the divisiveness that’s already in America.”

Later that evening, Cermak saw a sign that she

EVA CERMAK

Metro Detroiters rally at tMacomb Community College to support the Affordable Care Act.

said signified the true meaning of the rally.

“I saw a sign at the immigration ban protest and it was really simple, but it meant a lot because it said, ‘stay human,’” she said. “We are all human beings regardless of religion or political differences, and there just needs to be like more love and solidarity instead of hate and divisiveness because we’re all humans.”

On Saturday, Jan. 21, a similar protest took place in East Lansing, which was recently named a sanctuary city, which means city law enforcement isn’t required to report illegal immigrants in the city. The Spartans for Sanctuary: No Ban, No Wall protest was hosted by Michigan State’s Muslim Student Association.

Class of 2016 alumna Dalaney Bradley attended the event. She said it was a protest as well as a platform

for people affected by the executive order to tell their stories and to spread information for who to call and reach out to, specifically Michigan Attorney General Billy Schuette, to voice their opinions.

“I wanted to go to this one because I want to be someone that doesn’t just go, you know, to a women’s march because I’m a woman, and I’m affected by different policies that do affect women, but I also want to be an ally to people who or things that President Trump is trying to pass that won’t necessarily affect me, but I know will have a negative effect on a lot of people and their families,” Bradley said. “I want to make sure that I’m not just standing for my own issues, but also standing for other peoples’ as well.”

EVA CERMAK

Women’s marches

RACHAEL BACKER

Protestors hold up signs at the Women’s March in Lansing.

When Class of 2016 alumna Jennifer Kusch attended the Women’s March in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Jan. 21, she said she felt like part of a larger movement that was advocating for her rights as well as validating her experiences as a sexual assault victim.

“It’s a really powerful experience if you attend these massive marches and movements. You feel like you belong to a community larger than yourself, and it’s honestly overwhelming to see so many people support you and tell you that your experiences and feelings are valid,” Kusch said via email. “I have been a victim of sexual assault on my college campus, and we need politicians who advocate for the rights of people with experiences that they can’t necessarily relate to, such as women and minorities.”

The Ann Arbor march was a sister event of the March on Washington.

Located in the downtown area, over 11,000 people attended.

Kusch said that some of her friends at the University of Michigan, in

addition to herself, have been victims of discrimination or sexual assault. She said people who are sexually abused could rely on Planned Parenthood, which made headlines recently following Speaker of the House Paul Ryan’s announcement of plans to defund the organization.

“I have also made friends with a very diverse group of people at the University of Michigan, and they have had some harrowing experiences,” Kusch said.

“My one friend—who is Indian, but could objectively be mistaken as Middle Eastern very easily in passing—was stopped by a woman on the street last week and told to go ‘back to terrorist land.’ Seeing these kinds of inequities is what really pushes me to do more.”

Although it didn’t share the name, the Grosse Pointe Walk for Peace was also an official sister march of the March on Washington. Junior Ruth McCuen was one of over 1,000 walkers.

The walk was sponsored by Welcoming Everyone to Grosse Pointe (We GP), a relatively new communitybased organization that promotes human and civil rights.

“We just carried around signs and had nice conversations with all the other marchers,” McCuen said. “I’m a really big women’s rights activist, and I really supported the ideas that were represented at the march, and I thought it was good if I showed my support.”

Kusch said she attends rallies like the Women’s March to stand for the values she cares about and because activism and protesting are mediums for voicing EVA CERMAK opinions to government officials.

“It’s important to be an activist because certain groups in our society are disenfranchised time and time again. Just because you are not being wronged doesn’t mean that it is not worth fighting against. I never thought that I would be a victim of college rape culture, but I only hope that men and women alike will advocate for women’s rights because it is an issue that impacts all of us, whether you see that or not,” Kusch said. “Human rights and safety shouldn’t be a partisan issue. This should be a topic that unites us across the aisle because it is our next door neighbors, our classmates, our family and friends who are at risk if we remain silent.”

North Pointe – Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017 – 7

IDEAS

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ON POINTE

Movie

Top 10 things we're talking about this week

THE SPACE BETWEEN US

By Mora Downs EDITOR

“The Space Between Us” is a film about Gardner, a boy born on Mars who meets a girl from Earth online. When he comes to Earth his organs begin to fail. The film stars Asa Butterfield and Britt Roberts and is in theaters now.

WWW.STXMOVIES.COM

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3

Game

Event

ALL-STAR GAME

WWW.PBS.TWIGM.COM

DANGEROUS WOMAN TOUR

The NBA All-Star game will take place Sunday, Feb. 19. Starters include Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry and James Harden for the Western Conference and Kyrie Irving, LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo for the Eastern Conference.

The game will start at 8 p.m. on TNT.

Ariana Grande’s Dangerous Woman tour will stop in Detroit Sunday, March 12.

Opening the show for Grande is British girl group Little Mix. The concert will be at the Palace of Auburn Hills at 7 p.m. Tickets are WWW.LIVENATION.COM still available online.

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TV Show

WWW.IMDB.COM

6

THE OSCARS

LINER

Event

RIVERDALE

Former Disney star Cole Sprouse makes his return to TV on the CW show “Riverdale.” The show is about the state of a town after the murder of a high school boy. “Riverdale” is on every Thursday at 9 p.m. on the CW.

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THE ACADEMY'S TWITTER ACCOUNT

WWW.POWERPAGE.ORG

The Oscars will take place Sunday, Feb. 26. After the awards show was criticized for showcasing mostly white actors, writers and directors, this year’s nominations are being praised for their diversity. The Academy Awards will be hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and will be on ABC at 7 p.m.

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CDN.SHAK ESNACK.C OM

The food chain Shake Shack is slated to open a Detroit location later this month. The menu features burgers, hot dogs, fries and shakes. The restaurant will be located at 600 Woodward Ave.

Event

SHAKE SHACK

8

Album

DIVIDE

App

A new app called "Liner" allows users to highlight and annotate text online and in apps on their devices and save and organize these among phones and tablets. The app is free to download in the App Store but is not available in the Google Play store.

Ed Sheeran’s album, “÷,” will be released Friday, March 3, following the release of his two singles “Shape of You” and “Castle on the Hill.” This will be the singer/songwriter’s third album. There will be no other featured artists on “÷.”

WWW.OFFICIALCHARTS.COM

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ANNIE THE MUSICAL TWITTER ACCOUNT

“Annie” will come to the Fox Theater Friday, Feb. 17 for two days only. There are evening performances scheduled for Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m as well as a matinee on Saturday at 2 p.m.

Tickets can be purchased online and start at around $35. Carter in the “Rush Hour” series. Tickets begin at $75.

America is for everyone MY TURN KATIE THOMAS If you randomly pick 20 American citizens and place them next to each other, what similarities will you see? None. But that’s the point.

The United States is a nation built on the premise of diversity and immigration. When the first colonists arrived in America, they sought freedom to practice their beliefs, involvement in their government and a life that was better than the one in their previous country. The dreams that they entered the U.S. with are the same dreams that

The boys basketball team will play South on Tuesday, Feb. 28 at North. The varsity game begins at 7 p.m.

Event

ANNIE

10 Game

NORTH VS SOUTH

BY KENNEDY WILLIAMS

immigrants have today as they enter our country. what the U.S. stands for in terms of inclusivity Those 20 people will have lived 20 completely and opportunity, but this order can encourage different lives, carrying different beliefs or values Islamophobia, an issue that threatens our core and come from different backgrounds. That’s values. America has unfortunately seen a variety what make us Americans, those differences of terrorists, however, very few of them are of are meant to be embraced, they bring us Muslim faith. Not to mention, only a small all together in one melting pot of a country. number of Muslim terrorists that have threatened However, there are times when we can neglect America in the past have come from any of the to appreciate the cultural variety that makes up seven countries included in the immigration order. our nation, and the executive branch is no different. Of course there have been people who come into On Jan. 27, President Trump issued an immigration the country and threaten the safety of our country. order that blocked any immigrants or refugees from For those who do, it’s a matter of seeking out those Iran, Libya, Iraq, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen and Syria to who have malicious intentions, not an entire group enter the United States, as a way to ensure the safety of of people who merely fit the physical description. our nation. The ban from these seven Muslim-majority We, as a country, cannot let a small countries included people who are legally registered fraction of threatening people, completely citizens of the U.S. But this order was denied by an overshadow our perception of an entire appeal court. This situation illustrates the developing nationality or religion. If that were the prejudice of our country against immigrants. case every time our safety was threatened, Not only does an immigration ban go against then we should be terrified of everyone.

As citizens, we should want only the best for our country and wish to keep it as safe as possible. But lately, our view of ‘safety’ can resemble singling out certain groups of a fundamental freedom that the U.S. is based on.

Immigrants are not a threat to the U.S.—but exclusivity is. The moment that we completely reject those who migrate here in hopes of a better life and future is the moment that the country essentially loses its founding purpose.

We are a combination of native-born and those who travel here seeking the American dream.

Immigration is the very essence of this country.

Look again at those 20 people. Each one of them hailing from different countries and believing in different things, but every single one shares the same core values and dreams. It’s time that we look past appearances, religions and languages and appreciate the diversity of our nation.

REVIEWS

8 – Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017 – North Pointe

'One Day at a Time' changes cultural roots

By Billy Moin EDITOR Same situation, same story, same theme, new family and flair.

“One Day at a Time” is one of the new Netflix original TV shows premiering in 2017. The show is a remake of Norman Lear’s sitcom from the 70s and 80s by the same name. Creators Gloria Calderón Kellett and Mike Royce worked with Lear to bring it back.

In Lear’s original, a single mother and her daughters move to Indianapolis, Indiana and face life with Dwayne Schneider, their building superintendent.

Similarly, the reboot follows the life of veteran and single mother Penelope Alvarez (Justina Machado) as she raises her two children, Elena and Alex (Isabella Gomez and Marcel Ruiz), with the help of her Cuban mother Lydia (Rita Moreno). Penelope also gets help from her landlord Schneider (Todd Grinnell) who, though not technically part of the family, might as well be.

Lydia, who fled Castro’s Cuba as part of Operation Pedro Pan, does her best to preserve the family’s Cuban heritage. Her traditional viewpoints often conflict with the other characters, especially Elena and her progressive crusader mentality, leading to many of the show’s funny moments.

True to Lear’s tendencies, “One Day at a Time” takes on modern issues like bigotry and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. In just the first few episodes, Penelope and her mother clash with Elena over whether or not to celebrate her quinceañera (which Elena claims is misogynistic), Penelope battles sexism in the workplace, and she fights her mother about the idea of religion.

However, even though the show can examine some complicated subjects, the producers did a fantastic job maintaining

a generally light-hearted, easy-going tone. Every scene is jam-packed with jokes, preventing the discussion from ever becoming too heavy.

Still, the show never fails to get serious when need be. At some point, every episode has a sobering moment. Royce and Kellett manage a perfect balance between candor and comedy, and it’s refreshing to watch a show where weighty topics are handled with such grace.

The show also excels in the execution of its Cuban theme.

Naturally, Cuban culture plays a huge role in the show. From the ever-present planning of Elena’s quinceañera to affectionate family nicknames like Lupe (for Penelope) Abuelita (for Lydia) and Papito (for Alex), the characters are constantly showing off their heritage.

Cuba’s prominence in the show helps to give the show a more realistic feel. The characters often refer to Elena’s quinceañera as her “quinces,” something only native

speakers would do. Also, Penelope and Lydia consistently switch between English and Spanish, making the show feel less scripted.

As a comedy, “One Day at a Time” shines. Moreno carries the cast with timing and inflection that make almost anything funny, even as jokes about Lydia’s accent should have lost their touch after the first couple episodes. Pair that with Lydia’s slightly romanticized notions and lack of filter, Moreno absolutely flourishes on set.

But her fellow castmates are no slumps either. Machado handles her roles as a mother and a daughter equally well. And though her comedic acting is up to snuff, her best performances come in serious moments. Known for her work in dramas like “Six feet Under,” Machado’s drama chops are well honed.

On the other hand, the show’s laugh track is one its few negatives.

It’s an unnecessary addition that only serves as something to cringe at. However, after a few episodes, it fades into the background and ceases to annoy.

On the whole, “One Day at a Time” is a fantastic comedy. Royce, Kellett and Lear manage to take on today’s problems in a manner that allows them to get their ideas across without sacrificing the laughs.

"One Day at a Time" Netflix, 2017 PG

ONE DAY AT A TIME

APP

MOVIE

ALBUM

BOOK

CHROMA RUSH

THE BYE BYE MAN

SWEETSEXYSAVAGE

THE EDGE OF EVERYTHING

Chroma Rush is an addicting amalgamation of puzzle mini-games that strike a great balance between speed and accuracy.

G a m e p l a y of four WWW.IOSNOOPS.COM consists separate puzzles played in random succession. One puzzle tasks the player with looking through a set of colored blocks and picking the one who’s hue does not match with the rest. Another gives the player a certain colored block which the player must then find the equally colored block or blocks in another assortment. The third puzzle displays a line of blocks with randomly sorted shades of the same color which then need to be placed in order. The last puzzle is slightly convoluted, as the user is given two blocks and then required to deduce which one fits into a pattern of colors.

These puzzles are completed in a time-attack style in which the player must race against the clock, and with each success, time is added. The concept is well executed, and the focus on color recognition is intrinsically appealing to the brain, almost like a primal sense of solving puzzles, something that doesn't necessarily have to be taught, but is still difficult to master.

The only f law I have is in the last puzzle. It deals more with knowledge of color spectrums and wheels in order to find a solution rather than inherent shade recognition. Although this gripe can be remedied with basic knowledge, it can be difficult to tap into that knowledge while pressed for time.

Not much can be said about the art style, as it is spartan, but that is best in a game that requires precise observation of color and a speed to match. Tiles do slide in and out of view with every pass and fail, which feels satisfying.

As a whole, Chroma Rush is an interesting concept for a puzzle game.

Thanks to the color-based mechanics, it’s easy to learn but difficult to master. That alone should keep players coming back for color-filled fun.

We often find ourselves upset with horror movies because of the complicated plot or the lack of originality. “The Bye Bye Man” was EN.WIKIPEDIA.COM almost too childish and cliché to even be associated with other scary movies.

The movie is about three college roommates that buy a house off campus. One of the boys sees that scribbles cover the back of a drawer in his bedroom. “Don’t think it, don’t say it,” they say. He turns the drawer over and sees that it says “Bye Bye Man” carved into the back in bold writing.

He tells his roommates about the Bye Bye Man, and soon they experience weird things, too, like coughs and random hallucinations of the Bye Bye Man and his skinless hound.

One of the roommates goes to the college library and finds out that the house was owned by a writer that killed seven family members because he was possessed by the Bye Bye Man. He reported that if you say the name to other people, they will also become possessed.

The three roommates accomplish their goal of not spreading the words, but the hallucinations get so manipulative that they kill each other.

Sure it was scary, but it was thin-cut horror that was formed merely from the camera angles. Simple pop-up or behindthe-back scares were pretty much the main premise of the film. It might have made viewers jump a little, but nothing made them actually frightened like the plots of “Insidious” or “The Conjuring.”

The plain, elementary acting made it look like a generic “happy people turned crazy” movie. A kid searching the library archives for old information about his possession, the movie honestly could not be any more cliché for a horror movie. The Bye Bye Man looked almost identical to Freddy Krueger, and pretty much every other boogieman, and his skinless hound was laughable because of its ridiculous animated looks. At the end of the movie, when everybody was murdered, the house lit up with flames that looked like the director was just introduced to animation .

Don’t think it. Don’t say it.

Don't see it.

Known for her wisdom-packed lyrics and raspy-yet-sweet vocals, singer Kehlani graces listeners with “SweetSexySavage.”

The R&B singer takes listeners on an unapologetic ITUNES.APPLE.COM walk through love, womanhood and self-acceptance on her debut album.

Kehlani Parrish, an Oakland, California native, graced listeners with her Grammynominated independent album “You Should Be Here” back in 2015, establishing her name in the music industry and leaving fans eager for her next project. Now a part of major label Atlantic Records, the 21-year-old has dropped her latest project and first official album.

The introductory track immediately sets the lyrical tone with words by poet Reyna Biddy.

Biddy soulfully speaks on the complexity of being a woman and the fear of being confined in a single category. The title begins to reach its full effect as Biddy unapologetically explains that a woman has not only one, but multiple qualities at once, all contributing to her true beauty.

In the following songs, Kehlani lyrically pours her heart out to listeners, giving a refreshingly intimate and raw feeling that can still be enjoyed musically as well.

After overcoming a rough year, including a messy breakup and suicide attempt, the singer uses upbeat tracks such as “Keep On,” “Piece of Mind” and “CRZY” to confront her flaws with healing acceptance and self-love.

On tracks “Distraction,” “Undercover” and “Do You Dirty,” Kehlani addresses her vulnerability when it comes to love but proudly refuses to sugar coat her dilemmas, embracing them and allowing them to contribute to her personal growth.

As powerful as the singer’s initial message is, part of its impact is lost in later tracks that begin to sound repetitive and are less enjoyable. Certain aspects of the album sound a bit too similar to her previous collection and leave listeners feeling more of a sense of déjà vu than appreciation for her story of self-acceptance and empowerment.

Whilelistenersdidreceiveasolidproject,theend result wasn’t as groundbreaking as the singer could have given to those who eagerly awaited to hear it.

However, Kehlani, as always, delivers her talent and a brilliant message.

At first glance, the cover of “The Edge of Everything” by Jeff Giles gives off the impression that it’s just another young adult romance series.

Almost like a “The WWW.GOODREADS.COM Fault in our Stars” type of deal. The book, however, surprises readers with a supernatural romance mystery that engages to the very end.

The story follows the main characters X, a bounty hunter from a hellish land called the Lowlands, and Zoe, a teenager who recently lost her father in a sudden accident. Together they work through their past struggles and encounter new ones to discover the mysteries surrounding their lives.

These characters are very unique and charismatic in their own ways. For example, Zoe holds her character as any teenager would: sarcastic, modern, and relatable for young readers. X, however, is starkly different with more morbid personality and an awkwardness that makes him an endearing character. Giles really does an amazing job of giving life to not only Zoe and X, but other supporting characters like Zoe's family, her brother Jonah and her mother throughout the book.

Each character, no matter how small, seems to have their own feelings and readers don’t really come across one that is exactly alike another. It really makes the reader feel engaged in what happens with the story making it a hard book to put down.

The story is also very unique. It pulls all sorts of new ideas in terms of the perception of what happens to bad people. For example, the criminals that weren’t punished are hunted by bounty hunters like X to the lowlands, a land similar to what the idea of hell would be. It’s a refreshing twist to a familiar enigma that so many writers have used before.

“The Edge of Everything” is a grim book though, and tends to take a turn for the darker on many occasions. Readers will without a doubt find themselves disturbed every now and then.

Giles’ book is definitely a necessary addition to any reader’s list. It's engaging and has a very fresh storyline that not only fantasy fans can enjoy because it has something for everyone.

Chroma Rush; 2017; LONELY FEW LLC; Available for Apple and Android

“The Bye Bye Man”; Stacy Title; 2017; 96 Minutes; PG-13

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“The Edge of Everything”; Jeff Giles; 368 pages, 2017; Available for $8.57 on Google Play

By Giuseppe Parison

By Tommy Teftsis

By Katie Thomas

By Josie Bennett

EDITORIAL

North Pointe - Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017 - 9

EDITOR’S DESK ABBEY CADIEUX

“Grosse Pointe Public School administrators and teachers are responsible for encouraging and ensuring freedom of expression and freedom of the press for all students, regardless of whether the ideas expressed may be considered unpopular, critical, controversial, tasteless or offensive.”

Agree to disagree

BOARD OF EDUCATION POLICY Lindsey Ramsdell EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Mora Downs MANAGING EDITOR

Billy Moin MANAGING EDITOR

Ritika Sannikommu EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Alex Harring WEB MANAGING EDITOR

Josie Bennett LIFE EDITOR

Caitlin Bush NEWS EDITOR

Abbey Cadieux IDEAS EDITOR

Gowri Yerramalli BUSINESS MANGER

Michal Ruprecht ASSISTANT EDITOR

Amber Braker

Anna Post SPORTS EDITOR

STAFF REPORTER

Our editorial represents the opinion of the North Pointe Editorial Board consisting of the editors above. Members who have a conflict of interest with an editorial topic do not partake in that meeting or vote.

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF: Lindsey Ramsdell, Ritika Sanikommu MANAGING EDITORS: Mora Downs, Billy Moin

LINDSEY RAMSDELL

OUR EDITORIAL

WEBSITE MANAGING EDITOR: Alex Harring

Put your vote where your mouth is

SECTION EDITORS: Josie Bennett, Caitlin Bush, Abbey Cadieux, Anna Post DESIGN EDITOR: Emma Brock BUSINESS MANAGER: Gowri Yerramalli DIGITAL EDITORS: Erin Kaled, Sonny Mulpuri, Sarah Wietecha ASSISTANT EDITORS: Allison Lackner, Trevor Mieczkowski, Katelynn Mulder, Montana Paton, Michal Ruprecht, Billy Steigelman, Tommy Teftsis STAFF REPORTERS: Elizabeth Ballinger, Amber Braker, Dajai Chatman, Zoe Graves, Sofia Ketels, Lindsey Kluge, Bella Lawson, Nathan Lonczynski, Giuseppe Parison, Syeda Rizvi, Tarun Sanikommu, Asia Simmons, Katie Thomas, Addison Toutant PHOTOGRAPHERS: Veronica Albo, Jala Daniel, Bella DeSandy, Nicole Fazekas, Marina Gabriel, Katie Link, Erinne Lubienski, Rachel Malinowski, Alyssa McLarty, Lauren Sexton, Nya Tatum, Kennedy Williams INTERNS: Rory Angott, Isabella Cusumano, Maggie Dollar, Colin Haroutunian, Mariah Loper, Adam Schwartz The North Pointe is edited and produced by Advanced Journalism students at Grosse Pointe North High School and is published every two weeks. It is in practice a designated public forum without prior review.

Comments should be directed to the student editors, who make all final content decisions. The views expressed are solely those of the authors or the student editorial board and do not reflect the opinions of the Grosse Pointe Public School System.

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It’s been 24 days since President Donald Trump was sworn into office. And we’re 629 days away from the midterm election in 2018, where we’ll vote for a new governor and senator, as well as other representatives.

You have the right to vote if you’re over 18, and many of us will be by the midterm election.

Know your rights.

Both Democrats and Republicans have taken part in rallies and marches that exemplify their beliefs since the inauguration. Last month, the Women’s Marches, which were held in more than 600 cities in all 50 states, brought approximately 4.2 million people to the streets on Saturday, Jan. 21. Just this past Saturday, there were both pro-choice and pro-life rallies in Downtown Detroit.

The sheer volume of people in attendance at these events shows the impact of civil participation. Millions of people have set a precedent for peacefully displaying support for their political values.

Peacefully protesting is guaranteed under the First Amendment. Emphasis on “peaceful.”

Some demonstrations defied the idea of the protests. CBS reported over 217 protesters were arrested in the post-inauguration riots in Washington, D.C. Although the majority of protesters were peaceful, the other 200-plus demonstrators were the focus of news outlets,and gave the protests a bad image. According to The Hill, similar property destructions occured in 2008 after President Obama was elected.

That action is unconstitutional. The First Amendment gives us the right of free speech.

Talking and tweeting is OK. Violence is not.

A social media protest against the confirmation of President Trump’s nominee for

Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, gained momentum after it reached the Senate floor. As a result, senators who opposed Betsy Devos’ confirmation scrambled to persuade moderate Republicans.

This prompted others, especially young Americans, to share their opinions on the internet—something that most teens are already familiar with doing.

Sites such as Twitter housed many of these contrasting ideas, which lead to the increase in social media “protests.” Although it’s a citizen’s lawful right to voice his or her opinion, hate speech is excluded. Nonetheless, many social media users persist with inappropriate language.

These social media protests are a new breed of activism that has reached a much wider audience than ever before. Methods of mobilization are growing and engaging users from all walks of life.

It’s obvious that America is divided, and that might not change, but our rights shouldn’t change either. We have the right to vote, but we have neither the right to be violent nor vulgar.

Even though half the country didn’t receive the results they expected on Nov. 7, it is essential we maintain peace. Instead of spreading hateful messages and spurring violent protests, Americans should find common ground and take their emotions into the voting booth. The anger—or glee—felt by impassioned citizens should be used to prepare for the 2018 election.

At the end of the day, it is really all about whether or not you participated. Exercise your rights. We are a representative democracy, and voting is the best way to create change in our country.

CONTACT US 707 Vernier Road Grosse Pointe Woods MI, 48236 Phone: 313.432.3248 Email: northpointe@gpschools.org Twitter: @thenorthpointe Website: NorthPointeNow.org FACULTY ADVISER: Shari Adwers, MJE

“I have not, but I have heard about people that have. It doesn’t really affect me.”

“No, I don’t think it’s right, but if you could, people would abuse it.”

“I’d rather have to buy it than have to do work for it because I work all semester to get grades. Why can’t I just buy a little more grade?”

Mackenzie Driscoll

Kenny Williams

Cooper Ickes

FRESHMAN

SOPHOMORE

JUNIOR

YOUR TURN: Have you ever had to buy something for extra credit, and how do you feel about it?

By Dajai Chatman

“I don’t care. Extra credit is extra credit.”

Erin McSkimming SENIOR

“It’s an option (in my class). I give them two points. I always ask for volunteers to bring in tissues, and a lot of students and parents bring it in with no mention of extra credit.”

“I think it’s ok. I see that maybe students need motivation for it to happen, but I don’t know that that’s the best way to go about it.”

MATH TEACHER

SPEECH PATHOLOGIST

Brad Armbruster

Sarah Hunter

It is no mystery that the political climate has been pretty heated lately.

The fire from the campaign trail has not calmed down, and neither has the discourse surrounding the happenings in D.C. With the significant movements made by President Trump’s administration within just its first few weeks, the promised momentum has certainly been delivered.

The current focus on encouraging inclusivity and accepting diversity detailed in Superintendent Gary Niehaus’s recent email to parents has put tolerance at the forefront of our district’s vision.

Keeping this in mind, let’s not forget that differences of opinion should not consume the progress we make daily in the classroom.

That’s not to say that we can’t grow from debate, but when it becomes a distraction and a nuisance, we need to take a step back and reevaluate.

We are in this school every day to learn. While we can’t avoid what’s going on in our country, we can control how we react to it.

As Americans, we have the right to discuss such matters without consequences, which is part of what makes our country great.

There’s no reason to say students cannot engage in discussions about what they believe in because it is our Constitutional right to do so.

Those who do are expressing their freedom of speech—and rightfully so. However, with that freedom comes responsibility.

In school, students are exposed to a variety of viewpoints and information that helps guide them into becoming engaged and productive citizens.

When tensions run high and the common ground we share is lost, opportunities for learning and growth are blurred. We can’t let ourselves get so caught up with partisan politics that we lose sight of the goal we all (should) share: learning.

During times like these, it is necessary to gain a sense of when it is appropriate to throw your hat in the ring. Picking fights just to pick fights never makes sense.

When you do not have facts to back up your claims, what you’re saying is meaningless.

Proclamations of vague, extreme ideas help nobody and do nothing for stimulating debate. If you’re going to talk politics, you better be able to back up what you’re saying. There’s no blind follow-the-leader in an advanced democracy.

In addition to this, being informed and civil to those on the “other side of the aisle” is a key aspect of social maturity. There is a reason that it is common courtesy to not talk about politics at the dinner table. No matter how wrong or foolish you believe the people who are not ideologically aligned with you may be, keep in mind that each opponent you face is human as well. People are passionate about these matters because they directly affect them.

Democrat, Republican or Independent, we are all the same. We may have different fundamental values, but that’s ok.

What one person believes is an injustice, another sees as an opportunity to keep their family safe. What one sees as a beneficial move by a politician, someone else sees a threat to their very livelihood. There is no set right or wrong answer, and there’s no quick-fix solution.

In order to continue our success, we’ve got to come together and accept our differences, not combat them.

It’s not all so black and white, so let’s stop acting like it is. Don’t allow differences in opinion to overshadow and eliminate learning opportunities.

Let’s agree to disagree.

IN-DEPTH

10 – Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017 – North Pointe

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SPORTS

North Pointe – Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017 – 11

Eat, sleep, COMPETE Cheer team participates in competitions to improve their performance in the MAC Red

By Billy Moin & Gowri Yerramalli

well in competitions makes everyone happy and shows how hard we have been working.”

Competitions usually take place on Wednesdays or Saturdays. The With its tumbles, cartwheels, jumps and splits, the cheer team is team just wrapped up the last of its four regular-season Macomb Area a common sight at sporting events throughout the year. In addition to Conference competitions, where it faces off against teams from the MAC pumping up the crowd in support of the football and basketball teams, Blue, Gold (the division North is in) and Silver. Over those four meets, the the cheerleaders also compete at competitions during the winter season. team took second once, third twice and took fourth in their final meet.

Freshman Morgan Cribbs, a member of the varsity team, said that Jordan motivates her girls to do their best at the competitions. the atmosphere at a cheer competition is intense.

Watching her older cousin cheer motivated Cribbs to do it herself.

“It’s really competitive. When we’re warming up, we have to do Her passion for the sport developed at a young age, following her our best and scream our loudest to kind of put our fear throughout middle school and high school. in the other cheer teams,” Cribbs said. “But when we “When I was younger, I had an get on the mat in front of the judges ... you have a rush older cousin, and her name was Sydney. (of adrenaline). We feel that a lot.”

She used to cheer here, and she was the Every cheer competition has three rounds of captain here for three years. I just look up performances. In the first round, the team has 90 to her really. And I’ve always dressed up seconds to move between six different cheer formations, as a cheerleader, like every Halloween I all while performing assorted jumps, kicks, and other was a cheerleader,” Cribbs said. “I went moves. In the second round, the team demonstrates to Parcells, so I cheered there, and my synchronized arm motions in a routine. Afterwards, the eighth grade year I was the captain, so it’s cheerleaders have to demonstrate five selected skills always been like a passion or an interest for the rest of the 90-second round. The two-and-a-half for me.” minute third round, also known as the Open Round, Kia Jones On the other hand, senior Kayla calls for another choreographed cheer made up of eight HEAD CHEER COACH Byrom said she joined because cheering formations as well as stunts, minor gymnastics and takes her mind off any stress in her life. tumbling.

And even though practices and competitions take up a lot of time, she Five judges award points after the completion of all three rounds claims it’s worth it in the end. based on difficulty, variety and execution of skills, the team’s According to Cribbs, the team’s most aspirational goal is to make synchronization, coordination and confidence, as well as the general it to the state competition. The cheerleaders’ other goals include giving impression the judges receive. Teams can earn up to 10 points total. every competition their all and finishing the season with as many first “I think it is important to do well in all competitions—some (of place finishes as possible. the girls are there) more for the experience, when others are more for Although the team has struggled to meet their goals, Jordan is the title. One of the ways I motivate the girls is telling them to think of proud of their effort and perseverance. the competition as a practice because whenever we practice at home, “I love the sport, and I love working with the girls,” Jordan we practice exactly how we would perform,” head coach Kia Jordan said. “I’m most proud about this team’s bond and dedication. said. “If practice time is good, then competition time will be ... Doing Even when times get tough, these girls never lose their smile.”

EDITOR & BUSINESS MANAGER

“

I'm most proud about this team's bond and dedication. Even when times get tough, these girls never lose their smile.

“

MORGAN CRIBBS

Three decades of excellence Girls basketball coach Gary Bennett is recognized as one of the top 16 coaches in the state

KENNEDY WILLIAMS

FROM THE SIDELINES | Gary Bennett coaches from the sidelines during a home match against Utica Ford on Feb. 10.

Bennett acknowleges the impact his players and former students have on him as a coach and person. "The people you meet are the difference makers in life," Bennett said. "So by coaching and teaching, I’ve had the opportunity to meet a lot of great people, and that's had a huge effect on my life."

Overtime rules need tweaking SPORTS COLUMN ANNA POST Let’s face it. Whether you're a Pats fan or not, New England pulled off the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history.

After trailing 28-3 in the third quarter, the Patriots fought back. Up 25 points, Atlanta had been maintaining a steady lead with eight minutes and 36 seconds left in the third quarter.

The Pats defense forced key turnovers, and the rest of their offense followed.

Atlanta suddenly lost composure as things started to go south. Before we knew it, their comfortable lead was lost, the tensions rose, and the Vince Lombardi trophy slowly

slipped away from the Falcons’ grasp.

One can’t deny that this win for the Pats was well deserved. Their offense dominated the field and was topped off by the successful handoff to running back James White that got them in the end zone to win the game.

Some may think the Falcons did not deserve a chance after blowing such a massive lead. But to see a Super Bowl end without giving the opponent another chance is upsetting, especially in this case, when Atlanta was expected to win for the majority of the matchup.

NFL overtime used to be played under sudden-death rules. This gave a huge advantage to the team that won the coin toss after the end of regulation.

It was unfair for something as random and unrelated to football to have such a large impact on who won the game.

In 2012, the NFL changed the overtime rules. Now, both teams get a shot in overtime unless the first team

By Sonny Mulpuri & Billy Steigelman EDITOR & ASSISTANT EDITOR

For 34 years as the girls basketball coach, Gary Bennett has enjoyed success with different players.

Early this year, he was named as one of the 16 best high school girls basketball coaches in the state by www.Milive.com. Bennett will add this to an already stocked resume that includes one state championship, 17 conference championships, nine district titles and four regional crowns with a compiled record of 563221 as of Feb. 6.

Despite all that, Bennett sees his biggest accomplishment as staying at one school for so long. Loyalty for that long is uncommon in high school sports today and Bennett thinks it is what makes him stand out among coaches.

“Just being at one school for as long as I’ve been at, I don’t think that I see that as something that happens with younger coaches today. It remains to see if younger coaches will stick with it and at one spot,” Bennett said. “Over the years, we’ve picked up standards and tradition that have been picked up from year to year. Kids that are here pass it on, and we keep on doing what we’ve done since I’ve started coaching.”

This year’s team has battled injuries throughout the season, and they also face an obstacle of inexperience. Seven members are either freshmen or sophomores. Despite the adversity, they are still fourth in the MAC Red. In the eyes of junior Josie Ciaravino, the season is going rather well. She has accumulated a lot of new experiences as a first-year varsity player, and she has learned more about basketball because Bennett makes the practices both intense and fun.

“He tells you what is wrong and what’s not. He’s not nice, but he’s not mean. He says it in a good way.

He helps me improve by showing me how to do it and not just yelling at me,” Ciaravino said.

Class of 2016 alumna Emily McPharlin remembers how Bennett was more than a coach when she needed it after an injury.

“When I tore my second ACL, he came up to me and told me that I was the strongest person he knew, and ‘if anyone could get through it, I knew it would be you,’” McPharlin said. “He made me realize that to have the ball scores a touchdown.

This isn’t me trying to bash the Patriots and their outstanding comeback.

It just isn’t fair that one team has the opportunity to score a touchdown and win the most important game of the season while the other team can’t.

This puts the other team at a disadvantage, and the new rules still don't seem to solve the issue.

ESPN correspondent Scott Van Pelt referred to the game-winning touchdown in the first drive as "awfully arbitrary."

His proposed solution of giving both teams the ball no matter what happens on the first drive still doesn’t fix it.

If both teams were allowed to score during overtime, one could still be in a situation where they never have a chance to win the game. If both teams score touchdowns on their opening drives, the game would then be in a sudden-death situation. Then, the team that had the ball first would be going on their second possession.

it wasn’t all about basketball, that it was about being a better person as well.”

Bennett treats each player differently to get the most out of them because he wants to see them excel too. He not only taught McPharlin more about the game of basketball, but also how to treat others with respect.

“For me, yelling wasn’t the best way to teach me something. It was pulling me to the side and teaching it to me,” McPharlin said. “So I think he did a really great job realizing how every player learned.”

Bennett wanted to see the girls improve and did whatever he could to make sure they did. That came in the form of a coach’s award given to a different player each game, a tradition that continues today.

“Before every game, he gives out a coach’s award about what is so good about that kid and what they need to work on,” Ciaravino said. “It shows how much he cares, and that makes him stand out.”

Although there has to be someone at the helm, Bennett believes that it depends more on the players and their willingness to learn and get better every day on and off the court. He tries to make to information easier for them to process, but he also knows that he has to find new ways of getting through to them and not be satisfied with the current level of success.

Some of the reasons Bennett has been victorious is because of the characters of the girls he has coached in his tenure here. He knows it takes more than talent to become a winning and cohesive team and that his players need to be good students both in the classroom and of basketball.

“I think having some talented players helped, but above that, they were quality people. You have to have good people. I don’t think talent alone gets it done. You have to have quality people that are willing to work hard at something, and over the years, the biggest thing is the kids we got in our program were willing to work hard. We call it sustain your effort, and particularly sustaining their effort on defense,” Bennett said. “Their willingness to work hard on defense and not to give in has really made the difference in how successful we’ve been, and they all come from really good families, which is really a part of it.”

If anything, the NFL could follow the NCAA overtime rules that provide teams with the same opportunity to pull off a sweet victory.

The NCAA overtime rules are simple.

In the event of a tie, each team gets one possession starting at the 25 yard line.

After each possession, the team that ultimately has the most points wins.

Sports aren’t fair. There’s always going to be that one call that causes an uproar in your living room or that one loss to leave us scratching our heads.

The NFL rules are the same way.

Athletics aren’t supposed to be complicated. There isn't a perfect solution, but a compromise might be if all football leagues, whether at professional or collegiate levels just follow the same rules.

There’s no need to have useless regulations or rules to abide by if the rule itself can change the outlook of a game.

The overtime rule is an NFL complication that shouldn’t be difficult in the first place.

12 – Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017 – North Pointe

SPORTS

By Anna Post & Sonny Mulpuri EDITORS

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